What Happens When a US President Dies in Office?

The death of a sitting United States president can shake a nation to its core, leaving it on unstable ground. But what happens next? Let’s look back at our nation’s history and review every time a president passed away while in office - and the political mechanisms in place to ensure a smooth transition of power in such unsettling times.

How many US presidents have died while in office?

Eight sitting presidents have died during their term: William Henry Harrison (1841), Zachary Taylor (1850), Abraham Lincoln (1865), James A. Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901), Warren Harding (1923), Franklin D. Roosevelt (1945), and John F. Kennedy (1963).

How many died of natural causes?

Four of the eight passed away naturally:
- William Henry Harrison: President Harrison caught pneumonia and died within one month of taking office.
- Zachary Taylor: President Taylor contracted a stomach illness - likely cholera - and passed away from that.
- Warren Harding: President Harding’s heart gave out - he had a heart attack while in office.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt: During his fourth term, President Roosevelt died from a cerebral hemorrhage.

How many were assassinated?

The remaining four died as the result of a malicious attack:
- Abraham Lincoln: Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln in the head while Lincoln attended a play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1965. Booth opposed Lincoln’s policies during and after the Civil War.
- James A. Garfield: Charles J. Guiteau, a mentally unstable individual seeking a government position, shot President Garfield twice at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C., on July 2, 1881. Historical records say Guiteau believed God wanted him to kill Garfield, and he hoped Garfield’s death would help him earn the job he desired.
- William McKinley: Self-proclaimed anarchist Leon F. Czolgosz shot President McKinley twice at point-blank range during a public reception at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, on Sept. 6, 1901. The assassin said the anarchist writings of Emma Goldman inspired him to kill the president, in the name of equality.
- John F. Kennedy: On Nov. 22, 1963, President Kennedy received a fatal gunshot wound to the head while riding in a presidential motorcade through downtown Dallas, Texas. Over the years, many conspiracy theories have emerged to explain who killed President Kennedy. Still, Soviet sympathizer Lee Harvey Oswald has been blamed for the assassination. He was fatally shot soon after his arrest, leaving many questions unanswered.

What happens immediately after a president dies?

As soon as the president breathes the final breath, the vice president immediately and automatically becomes the new president, as outlined in the Constitution.

The new president takes the oath of office right away and assumes the full role and responsibilities of the office.

What happens next?

Typically, the deceased president will first lie in repose in the East Room of the White House or in the U.S. Capitol.

Then a formal state funeral will be given, to honor the president and lay him or her to rest.

What happens if the vice president cannot assume the role of president for some reason?

According to the Constitution and the 25th Amendment, here is the order of succession upon the death, resignation, or removal of a sitting president:
1. Vice President
2. Speaker of the House
3. President Pro Tempore of the Senate
4. Secretary of State
5. Secretary of the Treasury
6. Secretary of Defense
7. Attorney General
8. Secretary of the Interior
9. Secretary of Agriculture
10. Secretary of Commerce
11. Secretary of Labor
12. Secretary of Health and Human Services
13. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
14. Secretary of Transportation
15. Secretary of Energy
16. Secretary of Education
17. Secretary of Veterans Affairs
18. Secretary of Homeland Security

This established order of succession helps ensure that our country can navigate crises, such as a presidential death, with stability and respect for the principles set forth in the Constitution.

Fortunately, as of 2024, our nation has never had to move beyond the vice president when filling a mid-term vacant presidential role.

References: Have any presidents or first ladies died at the White House? | U.S. Presidents Who Have Died In Office | Order of presidential succession | A History of Presidential Assassination Attempts, from Andrew Jackson to Donald Trump | William Henry Harrison | Assassinations and assassination attempts involving U.S. presidents and presidential candidates